Page 24 - 2021 March 18 to 19th, Important Chinese Works of Art, Christie's New York City

PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE NEW YORK COLLECTION
719
A RARE LARGE DOUCAI 'PHOENIX' VASE
18TH CENTURY
The rectangular vase with broad, rounded shoulders is decorated
on the front and back in bright enamels with a phoenix in flight
above a peony blossom borne on leafy tendrils. The narrow sides
are decorated with further peony blooms on leafy stems, all
between two stylized lappet bands, and on the neck with lotus
blooms within squared scroll borders.
21æ in. (55.2 cm.) high

$80,000-120,000
PROVENANCE:
Sotheby's London, 11 May 2011, lot 84.
The present vase is unusual for its faceted form, large size and its
choice of decoration. The doucai technique was highly renowned
in the Chenghua period, when it was mostly used on smaller
wares, such as the legendary ‘chicken’ cup. However the revival
of the technique in the eighteenth century also saw the use of
doucai enamels on much larger wares, such as large ‘dragon’
dishes, and the present vase which is decorated with phoenixes.
The choice to decorate the present vase with two phoenixes,
rather than a phoenix and a dragon, is also unusual. A related,
slightly smaller, doucai meiping (43.5 cm. high), decorated with a
dragon and phoenix amidst foliate scroll, dated to the Yongzheng
period, is illustrated in The Prime Cultural Relics Collected by the
Shenyang Imperial Palace Museum; The Chinaware Volume The
First Part, Shenyang, 2008, p. 218, no. 6. A related doucai meiping
of the same size and similar design to the Shenyang meiping,
but with a cover, dated to the Qianlong period and in the Qing
Court Collection, is illustrated in Porcelains in Polychrome and
Contrasting Colours - 38 - The Complete Collection of Treasures of
the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 259, no. 237.

See, also, unmarked doucai meiping, dated to the Yongzheng
period, from Yamanaka & Company Inc., New York, sold at
Christie's New York, 22 March 2007, lot 345.

清十八世紀 鬥彩鳳穿花紋大瓶
來源:
倫敦蘇富比, 2011年5月11日, 拍品84號。